


firm grip

by ectocosme



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, M/M, Soulmates, idc titles are hard so take this one and stop whining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 04:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14762691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ectocosme/pseuds/ectocosme
Summary: Cloud is heavily concussed when a blob with a human form utter his soulmate words.





	firm grip

Cloud struggled to get air into his lungs. The hard fall had broken something, though all his body was on fire so he wasn't sure what was wrong. Keeping his head above the thick matter was instinctive but shot knife-like pain through his chest. If he didn't drown into the mako, the broken things inside him would surely kill him.

“Quick, your hand buddy!” someone yelled from above.

Instinctively, Cloud reached out for the arm sticking from the railing. The burn of mako in his eyes made his vision blurry. The panic coursing through his veins cleared enough with the words, his soulmate's words. They weren't uncommon for troopers and SOLDIERs and some had already mistaken a stranger for a soulmate the seconds it needed for the other to talk to them for the first time. Though Cloud was certain this man was his. He was certain. Those words of help, of compassion and hope to go through – as his mother said – were finally told by his soulmate.

The hand that grabbed him slide a bite because of the mako before stopping when Cloud's grabbed back. The other lifted him with ease. In the blurry world Cloud was in, he noticed mako-blue eyes and black hair on a moving face.

"You've got some strength into those arms!" the other commented.

Another hand held onto his belt and holled him up. Cloud met the cold metal of the railing, his breath uneven as he struggled to make his lungs works.

“He's gonna fucking die,” someone commented a bit further. Cloud recognised a trooper's voice, but couldn't remember his face at the moment. Cloud didn't even try to look at him. Though he did attempt to pierce through the pain induced fog in his head. He needed to see his soulmate.

“Sir, the monsters!” yelled a gruff voice.

“Shit! I'm on it, stay back,” Cloud's soulmate said.

Cloud coughed, felt the taste of blood but clenched his teeth and forced himself to look up. The clash of a sword against some hard-skinned body pressed him. On the railing, upstream, a man dressed in black fought against a monster as blurry as him. Cloud could see them only because of the mako glow. They moved a bit farther, onto a big platform and their silhouette blended together.

Even if his breath left his mouth like a long hiss, Cloud straightened up from his forearms to his knees. He faltered, the echoes of boots hitting the ground making his head buzz.

“Man, don't force yourself. I'll make us leave the place, don't worry.”

Cloud wavered under the hand on his shoulder. Darkness filled his vision a second but came back at the cry of pain from his faceless soulmate. He jerked up, groaning at the effort and swatting away the hand holding his forearm. Cloud would be a hundred time cursed if he let his soulmate being killed. Not under his watch!

Another pained sound and nobody moved! Anger melted with fear in Cloud. He shot up then ran toward the waving form of what he thought was a monster.

“Stop! You're going to get killed!”

Cloud ignored the man. He fought to get any oxygen in his lungs as he ran straight toward the monster.

“Don't come, buddy!” his soulmate shouted from the other side of the platform.

The shout only fuelled Cloud strength. He saw the glint of something silver even with his failing vision. He grabbed it, stumbled at the weight but found back his balance in a heartbeat.

“Come!” he yelled at the beast.

Something charged him. He heard the sounds of claws scratching the metal, the breathing of the creature but had trouble seeing it. He took a defensive stance when he felt it approach. The collision was so violent it made his arms shook, but a grin stretched on his face. He couldn't see now, but he had seen the monsters earlier. They were similar to wolves. For Cloud, fighting wolves was a second nature.

He pushed the sword to his side sharply. The creature biting on it followed the movement and left its side unguarded for a second. Cloud bend down, took the army issued knife. He jumped, his feet pressing on the beast's shoulder. Using the uneven platform he reached the creature's back too high for him normally. There, he planted the knife between the shoulders' blade.

The monster howled in pain. It shook himself to get rid of Cloud, but he took out the knife and struck a second time. The monster stumbled, a deep grumble escaping its maw. It fell on the side and Cloud stumbled when his foot hit the ground. He fell back, hitting his head. The creature dropped on his legs, trapping him.

He heard footsteps, then saw a dark silhouette but fell unconscious before seeing his soulmate.

°

Coming back to his senses, Cloud yelped at a touch on his arm elicited searing pain. Though, it was short lived.

"Ah, I see you're awake. Sorry for that, we're taking a bit of blood to see if the mako is still affecting you." a woman spoke, a white coat over her back. Even though his mind was all fuzzy, Cloud focused on her. She smiled, "You were in a mako coma for a few days, but it seems you'll walk it off." Cloud thought he hallucinated when she leaned down, winked at him and said, "I made a little commentary in your files to make you retake the mako tests. I'm pretty sure the guy who did it made a mistake, your body is totally able to absorb the mako without any problem. Better than that even."

“I-I was in a co-coma you said,” Cloud slurred. “How it is no-not a problem?”

She patted his arm, "It was unrefined mako. Anyway, rest now."

Cloud did so. For a few minutes, then he remembered the words said by his soulmate. An unknown man in the twenty Cloud didn't know at all. He'd been chosen for the mission at the last minute because they lacked a guy. His soulmate could be anybody! At least, Cloud was confident in recognising his voice.

He was shaken awake from his daze by a nurse, "Your squad came to visit you. Do you feel like it?"

Cloud hummed, his brain fog still strong. It was only when she left that he recalled he joined a temporary squad for this urgent mission. He knew nothing of the other men. Why would they want to see him?

“Dude! You were so cool!”

Startled, Cloud opened his eyes to a smiling face he had no recollection of. The man was in his thirties and if Cloud had nothing against middle-aged men, but if he was his soulmate, he'd be very disappointed. The guy in his face backed away, presenting a trooper uniform. Cloud sighed in relief.

"I wish you were one of my comrades," another trooper said.

Four men excitedly praised him for his act of bravour*tk. Giddy, Cloud basked in it. People rarely praised him.

"You come thanks our best guy without me?" a fifth person said as he came nearer. "Man, you're all mean to me. What did I do to you?"

Cloud's breath was stolen away by the man. He was like carved by the loving hands of Odin. A creature of dreams created by a god. The SOLDIER Zack Fair wasn't an obscure name as to never having appeared on posters, but it was the first time Cloud had seen him. From what he gathered a few days earlier, he was one of three SOLDIERs that accompanied them.

Cloud prayed all his gods the young SOLDIER was the one. He recalled black hair and blue eyes, which weren't rare in SOLDIERs. Far from it.

The young man with an easy smile extended his hand that Cloud took automatically. A grin stretched his lips. Cloud stared at them a bit too much, not noticing he was squeezing the man's hand with as much strength as him. Since he entered the army he learnt to give strong handshakes. He looked soft so he needed to make others lose this idea quickly.

“Yup, still a good grip. Glad to see you alive,” Zack exclaimed, winking at him. “Alive and not a vegetable. Would have been sad to lose a good man like you.”

Cloud's heart thumped at the other's praise. Somehow it had double the effect than the guy's words. Then what exactly Zack had said clicked into his mind. Cloud sputtered, lost his words when Zack turned around, saluted everyone and went away.

"Wait," Cloud wheezed out, holding onto the man's top without care for the troopers still here. Zack stopped and turned back to him. His first sentence to the man. But, as he opened his mouth his previous certainty faltered. He stuttered, "If- if... you really are my soulmate I'll always have your back or else I'll let a Nibel dragon eat me."

Zack previous curious expression was suddenly opening with a grin. He beamed, the smile making his face more handsome. Cloud's heart skipped a beat with joy. The other men kept silent, feeling the mood shift.

"Hey," he called softly. "That's my words! Well, my _soulmate's_ words.”

Warm and callused hands wrapped around the one clenching on Zack's top. Cloud let go of it, his breath hitching as Zack came back to his bedside. He looked up to met Zack's sparkling eyes. Having said his first words to the man Cloud was now struck mute by the realisation. He was meeting his soulmate for real, without a concussion making Zack's silhouette looks like a moving black fog.

Zack jumped on the balls of his heels. He had the expression of someone whining the jackpot.

"I've found my soulmate!" he exclaimed a laugh following his words.

He still clutched Cloud's hand to his chest like a trophy. The troopers cheered for them, clapping each other and Zack's shoulder. One made a move near Cloud but proved intelligent enough to only pat him then drag his colleagues out. On the other hand, Zack couldn't help slightly jump up and down, laughing quietly.

"Sir, stop jostling this poor guy or I'll be forced to kick you out of the medical ward!" another nurse yelled from the other side of the tent.

“He's my soulmate!” Zack boomed.

“It's fine ma'am,” Cloud said back. “It's not hurting me. Really.”

He huddled on himself at the glower from the woman and sighed happily when she didn't oppose anything else. Cloud was hurt on the other side anyway. Though, the heavy medication he was under already made him doze off. He yawned, lifting a bit his head after it had fallen but struggling to open back his eyes. He startled at the knuckles brushing his cheek and blinked awake. Zack's worried expression shifted for a beaming smile.

"I'm gonna let you sleep, buddy," Zack said, ruffling Cloud's hair, making him grumble. "Don't worry, I'll come back soon. Though, I need to know: wanna grab a bite together when we get back to Midgar?"

Cloud's heart swelled with anticipation. For a moment his sleepiness was forgotten. He clutched Zack's fingers still around his hand and nodded with energy, "Yes! I do."

Zack chuckled, jumped on his feet again. He put his hands behind his back like he tried to force himself not to cling to Cloud, then sauntered off, almost whistling.

 

**Author's Note:**

> there was a challenge on one of the server I'm in and 'soulmate' came out as a prompt. So obviously I was interested, it's not like soulmates fics are a favourite of mine! (shhh don't be judgy everyone has their 'comfort' tropes)
> 
> also don't make me win, I don't have the time to do the rest of the challenge. ~~shit I should just have... not make this fic part of the challenge in the first place??~~ jeez I'll go to sleep and sort everything tomorrow


End file.
